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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Med Int / Four Weeks of Incline Water Treadmill Exercise Can Contribut...
Veterinary medicine international2023; 2023; 9090406; doi: 10.1155/2023/9090406

Four Weeks of Incline Water Treadmill Exercise Can Contribute to Increase Epaxial Muscle Profile in Horses.

Abstract: Water treadmill (WT) exercise is a popular modality for the training and rehabilitation of horses. However, evidence-based literature regarding the use of WT exercise, particularly using inclines, is lacking. Unassigned: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of recurring inclined WT sessions on equine epaxial muscle development. Unassigned: Six horses completed 24 sessions of 15 minutes of WT activity over four weeks. Horses walked with water at the midcannon level at a treadmill incline of 4%. Back traces were measured at three and seven centimetres ventral to the dorsal midline at T5, T9, T14, and T18, prior to the first session (W0) and weekly for 4 weeks (W1-4). Unassigned: Overall, the back traces demonstrated progressive increases in muscle development (p < 0.05), starting at W2 up to W4. At three centimetres ventral to the dorsal midline, the most to least significant increases in gross muscle development were at T18, T5, T9, and T14, respectively, and when measured at seven centimetres ventrally, the most to least significant increases were demonstrated at T5, T18, and T14. It was noted that increases in thoracic back profile musculature were mainly observed within two to four weeks of the WT intervention. Unassigned: It has been concluded that repeated WT exercise on an inclined setting has a significant effect on the rate and size of growth of equine thoracic back profile musculature. Muscle hypertrophy due to resistance training in the WT starts at 2 weeks within the programme, and it progresses as exercise continues to be performed.
Copyright © 2023 Natalie Fair et al.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-07 PubMed ID: 38023427PubMed Central: PMC10645497DOI: 10.1155/2023/9090406Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research study reveals that an exercise routine of four weeks on an inclined water treadmill can significantly increase the muscle development of a horse’s back muscles.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The objective of this research was to examine the impact of regular sessions on an inclined water treadmill (WT) on the development of a horse’s epaxial muscles. Epaxial muscles are the muscles located above the spinal column, specifically focusing on the thoracic back profile.
  • The study involved six horses who underwent 24 15-minute sessions of WT exercise over the span of four weeks. The water level was kept at the midcannon of the horses and the treadmill had a 4% incline.
  • Measurements of the horse’s back muscles (referred to as back traces) were taken at three and seven centimetres below the dorsal midline or backbone at four different points – T5, T9, T14, and T18. These measurements were taken initially, then weekly for the four weeks of the investigation.

Results and Findings

  • The results of the study showed consistent increases in muscle development from the second week to the fourth week of the exercise program. This demonstrates the positive impact of the WT exercise on the horses’ back muscles.
  • At a measurement of three centimetres beneath the dorsal midline the most significant increases in muscle development were seen at T18, followed by T5, T9, and then T14. At seven centimetres below the dorsal midline, the most notable increases were observed at T5, then T18, and T14.
  • The study established that an increase in the horses’ thoracic back profile musculature occurred mainly within the two to four weeks of the WT exercise program.

Conclusion

  • The research concluded that regular inclined WT exercises have a significant effect on the growth rate and size of equine thoracic back profile musculature. This muscle hypertrophy or enlargement, is attributed to the resistance training from the WT exercise, and it begins to show within the first two weeks of the program, progressing as exercise continues.

Cite This Article

APA
Fair N, Blake S, Blake R. (2023). Four Weeks of Incline Water Treadmill Exercise Can Contribute to Increase Epaxial Muscle Profile in Horses. Vet Med Int, 2023, 9090406. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9090406

Publication

Veterinary medicine international
ISSN: 2090-8113
NlmUniqueID: 101524203
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 2023
Pages: 9090406

Researcher Affiliations

Fair, Natalie
  • Writtle University College, Chelmsford CM1 3RR, UK.
Blake, Scott
  • Writtle University College, Chelmsford CM1 3RR, UK.
Blake, Roberta
  • Writtle University College, Chelmsford CM1 3RR, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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